Machine for making box tops and bottoms



Nov. 6, 1934- A. J. AMBROSE MACHINE FOR MAKING BOX TOPS AND BOTTOMSFiled Aug. 14, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. '6, 1934. A.J. AMBROSE 1,979,433

J MACHINE FOR MAKING BOX TOPS AND BOTTOMS Filed Aug. 14 1933 5Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Nov 6, 1934. A. J. AMBROSE MACHINE FOR MAKINGBOX TOPS AND BOTTOMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 14, 1933 25 fiZFRf5x056 QAMW ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 6, 1934 v untried STATES PATENToFF-rcl:

'MAGHINE FOR/MAKING BOX 'rors AND EOT'I'OMS Alfred J. Ambrose, Yakima,Wash., assignor to Cascade Lumber Company a corporation of Washington;

Application August 14,

Claims.

This inventionrelates to machines for making topsand bottoms for woodenboxes such as are usedfor crating apples, peaches, berries and thelikewhich are made up of thin boards arranged 5-*si'deby side and joinedtogether across their ends=by narrow WOOdEIl cleats; the present in- Idsthey enter the assembling machine, therebyto apply glue for connectingeach. pair of cleats with acorresponding set of boards. A press blockisoperable in synchronism with the-feed.

slides against the parts after they have been asiembled in the framethereby to advanceandto retain them under compression until the gluehassufficiently set to permanently join the parts.

It is the princ'ipalobjectof'the.present invention to-providea machinefor the same purpose as that of the machine of the above describedpending application, and which is quite similar inits construction andmode otoperationbut which is difierentmainlyin' thatit is-fully auto--matic in all 'of its operations and requires only that the attendantkeep the hoppers properly supplied with boards and cleats;

Itis also an'objcct of'tlie'presentinvention to provide animproved meansin-the nature of a crank shaft for reciprocally actuatingthe press 409110014 in synchronism with the feed slides thereby to provideforreceiving assembled sets of boards and cleats beneath it'on eachupward" movement to be forced down under compression within a guidechute wherethey are. heldwhile i 'he glue sets and are subsequentlydeliveredfrom the machine as finished units.

Astill further object ofithe invention is to improve upon the glueapplyingimeans "so that the feeding of glue is positive anddefiniteinamount delivered to each cleat.

StilFfurther'objectjs 'reside' in the provision of novel driving andtiming means for operating the feed slides and pressiblock.

Other objects reside in the improved-details 552==of construction and inthe combination of parts .1933, Serial No. 685,046

and in their mode of. operation, as will hereinafter be described.

In accomplishing these and'other objects of the invention, I haveprovided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 isan elevation of the present machine.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the assembling frame, as on line2--2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, illustrating the stoplatch mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the machine.

Fig. 5 is aplan view of the'cleat feed slide removed from the machine.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the glue containers and feed mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail of the glue feeding means, as seen onlinefl-flin Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view-substantially on line Fig. 9 is a verticalsection; on line 9-9 in Fig. 4 illustratingthe board feed slidesandthepr'ess block.

section.

Referring more in detail to the drawings-- The frame structure of thepresent machine, in plan view. is of rightangular form as seen bestinFig. 4, with the board and cleat assembling frame located at thevertex. The hoppers and feed slides for advancing the boards and cleatsare contained respectively, within the'two wingportions of the frame.The boards'forforming the boxsections are-contained-in a rectangularhopper 1. This hopper has a supporting structure comprising horizontallymounted, parallelside rails 2-2' supported at their inner ends fromtheir assembling frame structurapresently described, and at their outerends by a cross bar 3 to which supporting legs 4 are attached.

The frame in which the sets of cleats and boardsare assembled and.joined is-made' up of fourvertically arranged angle. iron guide beams5, 6,7-and 8, asseen best in Fig. 2. These beams define the corners of avertical guide way within which theboards and cleats-as assembled are.placed under compression to insure their proper connection. Theangle'beams as seen in Fig. 8,

pass downwardly through an opening 9 in the floor'10on which the machineis mounted and they may-extend to any distance Within reasonable-limits.

The frame for mounting the cleat'feed slide Qand for thesupport of ithe. glue applying means Fig. 10 is-a perspective view of a finished-box80 and the cleat containing hoppers comprises parallel opposite sidebeams 14-14' attached rigidly at their inner ends to the assemblingframe and joined at their outer ends by cross bar 15 to which supportinglegs 16 are attached.

The box sections, which may be either tops or bottoms, made by thepresent machine comprises three thin boards 17 as shown in Fig. 10,joined across their ends by the cleats. Preparatory to assembly, asupply of such boards are placed in stacks in the hopper l. The hopperis of rectangular form and is mounted upon the frame beams 22 close tothe assembling frame and it is longitudinally divided by partitions 18into compartments of like size and each adapted to contain a stack. ofboards therein. The partitions preferably are adjustable in the hopperto accommodate boards of different widths. The three compartments formedby the partitions are open at their lower ends and the stacks aresupported by the feed slide which operates beneath the hopper.

The feed slide whereby the boards are fed into the assembling framecomprises three horizontally disposed plates 20 attached at their outerends to a block 21 that is supported for reciprocal action between theframe beams 2--2' by rollers 22 at its opposite sides, movable withinguides 23 formed between spaced ribs 24 fixed longitudinally to theinner sides of the beams. At their inner ends, the three plates 20 restupon a transverse roller 25 which is mounted across the inner end of theframe structure below the hopper end adjacent the assembling frame asseen in Fig. 9. This roller, together with the rollers 22 support thefeed slide for reciprocal action.

All of the plates 20 are of like size and are adapted when the slide isat its outer limit of travel, each to underlie and support a stack ofboards in the hopper. Each plate is longitudinally recessed in its topsurface as shown at 20a in Fig. 9 for reception of the lower board ofthe stack. The outer end of the recess is open and the inner endterminates in a vertical shoulder 27 adapted to engage against the endof the board resting therein when the slide moves inwardly thereby tocause the board to be pushed from the lower end of its stack into theassembling frame. The arrangement of the feed slide is such that when itis actuated to its outer position, as seen in Fig. 1, the three platesare then properly positioned to receive the lowermost boards of thesupply stacks within the recessed end portions. Then, as the slideadvances inwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. 1 the lowermostboard of each stack is pushed from the hopper and the supporting platecarries it into the assembling frame. The bottom edge of the inner endwall of the hopper is so spaced above the plane of the slide that butone board may be advanced from each compartment with each reciprocalaction. When the feed slide returns outwardly, the three boards thathave been advanced into the assembling frame on the plates, are retainedagainst return movement, each by a stop bar 35 slidably supported inguides 36 for limited vertical movement. At its upper end each bar has alaterally directed portion 37 overlying the end wall of the hopper forlimiting its downward movement and at its lower end has an inwardlycurved portion 40 acting as a runner beneath which the board is advancedby the slide.

.'.As the slide moves inwardly the runners merely "ride upon theadvancing boards and finally drop down back of their ends,'then as theslide moves outwardly the stops 35 engage the ends of the boards andhold them against return movement. Thus, the three boards, moved intoassembling frame, will be pushed from the feed slide plates 20 anddropped into the frame in proper relationship for theirbeing assembledwiththe cleats.

The cleats 45, which are applied across the opposite ends of the boardsto complete the box bottom or top, are arranged horizontally in twosupply stacks as seen in Fig. 4. These stacks extend in the longitudinaldirection of the frame beams 14--14 and are spaced apart the samedistance that the cleats assume in the finished box section. Each stackof cleats is supported at its ends in hopper guideways 47--4l which areattached by means of plates 48 to the opposite side beams of thesupporting frame. These guideways are open at their lower ends and thetwo stacks of cleats supported thereby rest, respectively, uponhorizontal feed bars 49-49, parallel to each other, and extended in thedirection of the cleats, and which are fixed upon a feed block 50reciprocally movable in the frame toward and from the assembling frame.The block 50 has supporting rollers 51 at its opposite sides containedin guideways 52 provided in the inner faces of the frame side members14-14. Each of the feed bars 49-49 is recessed along its outer endportion as at 49a, and each recess has an inner end shoulder 56. Whenthe cleat feed slide 50 is at its outer position of movement as seen in8, the recessed ends of the feed bars are disposed directly beneath thetwo stacks of cleats and the lowermost cleat of each stack rests withinthe recess of the bar beneath it. Then, as the slide moves inwardly tothe dotted line position of Fig. 6, the two contained cleats are carriedon the bars into the assembling frame. Stop bars 58 substantially likethose used in connection with feeding of the boards into the machine,are employed in connection with the hoppers 4'7. These stop bars arevertically slidable in guides 59 attached to the assembling frame andthey have end portions 61 beneath which the cleats are pushed onentering the assembling frame and which ride upon the cleats as theyenter, then drop back of the outer ends when the slide reaches its limitof travel, thus preventing the cleat returning with the feed bars.

For the purpose of applying a strip of glue to each cleat as it isdelivered into the assembling frame, I employ means as shown in Figs. 4,6 and 7, wherein a glue container 63 is associated with each hopper andeach container has a downwardly directed delivery spout 64, providedwith an opening 65 from which glue may be delivered onto the top surfaceof a cleat advanced on the feed bar. Within the spout is a pump, as seenin Fig. 7, consisting of two intermeshing gear wheels 66 and. 6'7,revolubly fitted in a pump chamber 68. One gear has a driving shaft 69extended from the housing and equipped at its outer end with a toothedwheel 70 adapted for rolling contact with the advanced cleats. Thus, aseach cleat is advanced into the assembling frame, it engages the wheelto thereby rotate the pump gears, which in turn operate to deliver aribbon of glue from the opening 65 onto the top of the cleat. Thereforewhen the boards 1'7 and cleats are delivered alternately into theassembling frame and are stacked in that order, the glue operates toattach the cleats to the corresponding set of boards.

' Shaft 86.

For actuating'and for synchronizing the movementsof the feed slides forthe board and cleats, Ifhaveprovideda driving mechanism as seen bestinFigs. 1 and 4, wherein '71 designates a horizontal shaft revolublymounted below the floor in bearings'72. On one end of the shaft is adriving sprocket wheel 73, fixed on the shaft between two sprocketwheels 7475 of like size, which areffreely revoluble on the shaft. Atits other end, the shaft 71 has a crank arm 78 fixed thereto and this isconnected pivotally, at its end, with a link '79, which, in turn, ispivotally attached at its other end to a lever 80, fixed on a shaft'81revolubly supported above the floor, in bearings Y82 and 83. The lengthof the crank '78 and length .of lever 80, are such that rotation of the.crank 78, causes an oscillatory movement of the lever with a consequentoscillating action of shaft 81. The shaft 81. extends transverselybeneaththatpart of the frame which mounts the'feed slides for thecleats, and at one end it has .a beveled gear wheel connection 85, asseen in Fig. 4, with a shaft 86, which is revoluble in bearings 87, andextends transversely beneath that part of they frame that mounts thefeed slide 21. The'feed slide 50 is connected by a link with the outerend of-a lever 91 fixed on shaft 81. Likewise, feedslide 21 is connectedby a link 92 with that upper end of a lever 93 fixed on the Therefore,since oscillation of shaft 81 effects alike action of shaft 86 by reasonof the geared connection, theaction of the feed slides-will ,besynchronized so that as the slide 50 moves twocleats into position inthe assembling frame, the slide 21 likewise moves a set of boards intothe frame and deposits them on the cleats.

At the start of each operation, a friction block 95 is fitted in theguideway as seen in Fig. 8, and the stack of boards and cleats is builtup on this block. "The stack is gradually forced downwardly under theaction of a reciprocatory head or presser 96*contained inthe upper endof the guideway,- and which also is synchronized in itsreciprocatory-movements with the feed slides. This block is connected bya, connecting rod 97 with a crankshaft 98 which is revolubly mounted, asseen in Fig. 9, in bearings 98, and extendstransversely through theupper end of the frame. At

its outer end the shaft is. equipped with three sprocket wheels 99, 100and 101; thelatter being fixed on the shaft between the others which arefreely revoluble thereon. The central sprocket 101 is aligned with thedriving sprocket 73 on shaft '71 and the sprocket wheelslOO and 101 arealigned with the sprockets 74 and 75, and there are chain belts 103 and104 extended about these aligned sprockets and also over sprocket wheels105105 on the main drive shaft 106 that is exitended from any suitablesource of power, not

adapted for driving contact with the sprocket wheel 73 to rotate theshaft '71 for actuation of the feed slides and also for driving thesprocket wheel 101 to rotate shaft 98 to reciprocate the presser block96. The length of this strip of .sprocket chain 110 is exactly such thatin passing over these sprockets '75 and 101 it will cause them to rotateonce, and that will effect first one complete operation of the feedslides, then a downward and upward reciprocal action of the wblock 96,whereby the boards and cleats delivered by (the action of the feedslides will be compressed together and'the stack of box parts presseddown for reception of the parts that will be fedinto the frame with thenext action of the slide.

In orderto stop the rotation of the crank shaft 98 at a point 'at whichthe presser block 96 will be in a raised position, I provide a latchdevice as seen in Fig. 3. This comprises a pivotally supported latch bar112 with a lateral shoulder 113 adapted to seat in a notch 114 in awheel 115 fixed in the crank shaft, thereby to retain the presser inraised position. Anarrn 112 extends from the bar to a position withinthe path of travel of the sprocket chain strip 110 so that the bar willbe actuated thereby to unseat it from the notch in the wheel as thestrip engages the arm; but, as soon as the arm is released, the bardrops again into the notch to stop the rotation of the crank shaft.

With the device so constructed, the feeding operations are automatic,and all parts, through the'driving connections shown, are all kept inproper synchronism. The feed slides deliver the boards and cleats intothe assembling frame to form a stack in which the boards and cleatsalternate. The stack is kept under compression and thereby causes thecleats to become united with their corresponding set of boards bysettingof the glue that is applied to the cleats.

Havingthus described my invention, What I claim as. new therein is- ,l.A machine of the character described comprising an assembling frame,feed devices for delivering sets of boards into the frame, feed devicesat different levels for delivering sets of cleats into the frametransversely of the boards, means for applying an adhesive to certainfaces of the cleats as they are delivered, and a driving means common toboth feed devices whereby they are caused to deposit sets of boards andcleats alternately in stacked relation in the assembling frame.

2. A machine of the character described comprising an assembling frame,feed devices for delivering sets of boards into the frame, feed devicesat diiferentlevels for delivering sets of cleats with an adhesiveapplied thereto into the frame transversely of the boards, a drivingmeans common to both feed devices whereby they are actuated to depositsets of boards and sets of cleats alternately in stacked relation in theassembling frame, and means for advancing the stack in the frame toclear the receiving position after reception of each set of boards andtheir corresponding cleats.

3. A machine of the character described comprising an assembling frame,feed devices for delivering sets of boards into the frame, feed devicesat differentlevels for delivering sets of cleats into the frame, meansfor applying an adhesive to certain faces of the cleats as they aremoved into the frame, a driving means common to both feed'deviceswhereby they are actuated to deposit the sets of boards and cleatsalternately in stacked relation in the frame, and a member operable toapply pressure on the stack to facilitate attachment of the boards totheir corresponding cleats by the adhesive.

4. A machine of the character described comprising an assembling frame,feed devices for delivering sets of boards into the frame, feed devicesat different levels for delivering sets of cleats into the frame, meansfor applying an ad hesive to certain faces of the cleats as they are litmoved into the frame, a driving means common to both feed deviceswhereby they are actuated to deposit the sets of boards and cleatsalternately in stacked relation in the frame, and a presser headreciprocally operable against the top of the stack to advance it undercompression along the frame away from the receiving position.

5. A machine of the character described comprising an assembling frame,hoppers for board stacks, hoppers for cleat stacks, feed devices fordelivering sets of boards from the first mentioned hoppers into theassembling frame, feed devices operable for delivering sets of cleatsfrom their hoppers into the assembling frame at a different level and todeposit them transversely of the boards, means for applying an adhesiveto the cleats as delivered to effect their attachment to a set ofboards, a reciprocally movable presser head, and means for actuating thefeed slides and presser head in synchronism to deposit the sets ofboards and cleats alternately in stacked relation in the frame and tocause the head to compress and advance the stack from the receivingposition after delivery of each set of boards and. their correspondingcleats.

6. A machine of the character described comprising an assembling frameforming an elongated guideway, a feed device at a different levelwhereby board sets are delivered into the assembling frame, a feeddevice whereby sets of cleats are delivered into the frame into positionfor joining the boards of each set, means for applying an adhesive tothe cleats as they are delivered intothe frame, a presser headreciprocally mounted in the guideway and operable across the place ofreception of said boards and cleats, a driving means common to the twofeed devices and presser head, and whereby the feed devices are actuatedto deliver boards and cleats alternately into the guideway in stackedrelation, and the presser head is actuated synchronously with the feeddevices against the top of the stack to move the stack under compressionbelow the point of reception of said parts.

7. In a machine of the character described, an assembling frame formingan elongated guideway, a hopper containing a plurality of board frame ata different level to deposit them transversely across the ends of theboards, means for applying an adhesive to the cleats as advanced, acrank shaft, a presser head reciprocally actuated thereby, a main driveshaft, a driving shaft with means operatively connected therewith foractuating the feed slides, a sprocket wheel on the main drive shaft, asecond sprocket Wheel on the crank shaft, a third sprocket wheel on theslide driving shaft, and a belt continuously driven by the sprocketwheel on the main drive shaft, and having a sprocket section thereofadapted to alternately drive the second and third sprocket Wheels tocause boards and cleats to be alternately delivered in stacked relationinto the guideway and the stack to be advanced under compression byreciprocal actions of the presser head.

8. A machine as in claim '7 wherein the belt operates over idlersprocket wheels on the crank shaft and slide driving shaft and whereinthe sprocket section is of such length to cause one functional operationof the feed slides alternately with one reciprocal action of the presserhead.

9. A machine as in claim 7 wherein a movable latch device co-acts withthe crank shaft to stop its movement after each functional operation ofthe presser head and wherein the sprocket chain section of the beltengages with and releases said latch to permit driving the crank shaft.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination with meansfor delivering sets of boards and means for delivering sets of cleatsacross the ends of said boards, of a glue applying means comprising gluecontainers disposed in the path of delivery of the cleats and havingbase openings beneath which the cleats are advanced, a pump mechanism oneach container, a driving wheel for each pump positioned to be driven byfrictional contact with cleats as advanced for forced delivery of glueonto the cleats.

ALFRED J. AMBROSE.

